OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab was part of a multi-agency delegation to the gulf on June 1 - 2 on an information-gathering trip

OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab was part of a multi-agency
delegation to the gulf on June 1 - 2 on an information-gathering trip

On June 1 and 2nd, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, Jordan Barab, flew to the gulf for an information-gathering trip to Louisiana where he spoke with oil spill clean-up workers, received a briefing from Unified Command leadership, and reviewed the safety and health protections in place to prevent worker injuries and illnesses. Barab was part of a delegation that included NIOSH Director John Howard, U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Nicole Lurie, NIEHS Worker

The group was briefed by OSHA and NIOSH staff in Houma, La and traveled to the Unified Area Command in Robert, La where Federal On-Scene Coordinator Coast Guard Rear Admiral Jim Watson and Coast Guard health and safety staff briefed the delegation on how the unified command was functioning and general worker health issues.

The delegation traveled by Blackhawk helicopter to Port Fourchon, La beach where they observed beach clean-up workers skimming the sand and collecting oil deposits. Barab also traveled to Venice, La, which is a major staging area for BP’s Vessels of Opportunity Program. As part of BP's response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Vessels of Opportunity (VOO) program was designed and implemented to provide local boat operators an opportunity to assist with response activities, including transporting supplies, assisting wildlife rescue and deploying containment and absorbent booms. Barab spoke with workers about issues of concern which include making sure workers had received the required protective health and safety training, ensuring that the training was in a language and vocabulary that they could understand, and health concerns, including exposure to chemicals, working in extreme heat and fatigue.

Thank You for Visiting Our Website

You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server.

The Department of Labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. The Department of Labor also cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Thank you for visiting our site. Please click the button below to continue.